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It’s the middle of summer and almost all of our beach houses are booked! We know you want to get away to the North Fork of Long Island and relax at the beach, stroll through the vineyards sipping a glass of white wine, pick fresh blueberries from the farm stand down the road and enjoy your summer. There is nothing like getting away and feeling like you never left home. It’s a beautiful thing to spend a week or more in your new “home away from home”. Lucky for you it is also extremely well decorated with a unique beach house feel but all the amenities a 5 star hotel would provide and more. Kayaks, private beaches, bikes, farmer’s markets and many more treasures that will keep you and your friends or family occupied while you visit us on the North Fork. Be sure to check out our events calendar as well to see all the local activities going on.

The Southold Studio. Southold, N.Y.

Newly renovated private detached and spacious self catering studio with queen bed, kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave , seating area with desk, TV and bathroom with shower. Floor to ceiling west facing windows open onto private patio overlooking lawns and inlet of Shelter bay. A few steps walk to community sandy bay beach with boat ramp and just five minute drive to Greenport and Southold villages. Shorecrest BnB concierge services available to guests of the Southold inlet studio including winery discount card to 24 local wineries, maps and guides.

Average rates:
$325 – $375 per night shoulder season. Special Holiday and High Season rates plus minimum nights apply
Memorial Day weekend – $375-$395 per night
May 27th to June 20th – $325 – $375 per night
June 21st to July 25th – $345 – $395 per night
July 26th to September 1st – -$375 – $425 per night
September 2nd to October 31st – $325 – $375 per night

The Lighthouse Cottage.Southold N.Y.

Two bedroom completely renovated cottage with open plan living room/ kitchen and large family room. Walk to private beach Just steps away;kick back with a local bottle of pinot in the beautiful sunroom, barbecue in the backyard or cook your favorites in the all new kitchen and dine al fresco on the patio, dining room or eat at the counter and entertain the cook. One bedroom has a queen bed, the other two twins, both with ceiling fans and window air conditioning units. The large full bathroom is also brand new with stone and marble tile, a cathedral ceiling and skylight. The living room is bright and airy with a cathedral ceiling, ceiling fan, and open format; perfect for relaxing or entertaining. The kitchen with granite bar, new cabinets, tile and stainless appliances opens into the living room for the perfect gathering place. The dining room seats 6, but you also have the choice of eating at the bar! A french door leads the way from kitchen to the spectacular sunroom, where you can spread out on the wicker sectional and take in the scenery… or continue on to the new patio or grab a good book from our loaner library and head for one of our adirondack chairs beneath the oak trees. Listed nightly rates for July and August are based on a one week minimum stay. There will be an up charge on the nightly rate for a stay on less than one week. A cleaning fee of $125 and taxes are in addition.

We may not get the same amount of press as our neighboring town Greenport but we have a lot of unique attractions to offer as well. Not many towns can say they have an Indian Museum, Planetarium, Lighthouse and Vineyards in the span of 11 square miles. Come and explore our small and beautiful getaway.

Custer Institute Observatory:

1115 Main Bayview Rd Southold, NY 11971 (631) 765-2626

Long Island’s North Fork offers a dark night sky with next to no light pollution also known as perfect star gazing qualities. Whether your’e a local looking to get a glimpse of saturn’s rings or star deprived city dweller this is a great experience. “The Custer Institute and Observatory is Long Island’s oldest public observatory (est.1927). Open to the public every Saturday evening from dark until midnight, our staff of volunteers will give you a tour of the facilities and the night sky through our powerful telescopes. Custer has frequent lectures, classes,concerts, art exhibits and other special events. Consider our observatory for your next meeting or theme party.”http://www.custerobservatory.org

Southold Indian Museum:

1080 Main Bayview Rd Southold, NY 11971 (631) 765-5577

This museum focuses on the archaeology and natural history of the area and indian tribes that once called Southold home. They have a wide variety of relics, pottery, and other various historical items. “Our museum is dedicated to study and education surrounding archaeology and natural history. It is owned and operated by the Incorporated Long Island Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association.” For details and events: http://southoldindianmuseum.org

Sunday Lectures: Programs are scheduled from 2:30 – 4:30 PM. Minimum requested donation is $5 for adults and children of 14 years and older; includes access to museum exhibits and refreshments…FREE for members.

The Old Field Vineyard:

59600 New York 25 Southold, NY 11971 (631) 765-0004

“Established in 1974 by Chris Baiz, is a family owned and operated vineyard. After years of producing fruit for sale, The Old Field started making wines, first with its 1997 Pinot Noir, and now Merlots, Cabernet Francs, Chardonnays, Blush de Noir, and newly released Blanc de Noir sparkling wines. THE OLD FIELD, an agricultural area just one mile east of the village of Southold, had been actively farmed by native Americans for at least five hundred years prior to the arrival of “the first European settlers” in 1640.

This beautiful and quaint vineyard offers a wonderful star gazing wine tasting Saturday night event. It is something you won’t experience anywhere else, a definite “must” for travelers and townies alike. “For Claudia Purita, sustainability and self-reliance have always been a way of life. Growing up on her family’s farm in Calabria, Italy, Claudia assisted in growing vegetables and wine grapes and raising small animals from very young age. At her father, Domenico’s, side she learned to value the land and the fruits that it provides. After moving to Long Island and spending several years in the restaurant industry, Claudia decided it was time to “return to her roots.”

“Located On a cliff in Southold, off of Lighthouse Road (according to the plaque on the structure, the location is: Lat 41° 05′ 06.5″ N Long 72° 26′ 44.0″ W).58 feet; foundation is granite; tower and quarters are brick/granite with a cement wash painted white with black lantern and copper dome; original optic was a Third Order Fresnel; present optic is VRB-25 (1999), one green flash every ten seconds. The tower contains a 29-wooden-step staircase and two ladders of 11 steps each.” For a detailed history please visit their site: http://www.longislandlighthouses.com/hortonpt.htm

There are multiple parks and public beaches where you can enjoy the summer weather and pack a picnic with your friends and family.

The path to the Shorecrest inlet beach: a winter wonderland in a blanket of new snow

Always a fan of the great natural beauty of the North Fork, its open fields and miles of beaches, I am particularly enamored of its winter glory. The area is looking especially beautiful at present in its white winter coat of snow and offers great photo opportunities for the camera buff. I am equally fond of the local wildlife which, if not in hibernation might need some extra help during this kind of harsh winter weather. The birds at my feeder just outside my window are a constant source of entertainment as they brave the storm to supplement their winter diet.Over the summer we could hear the call of a red fox in the nights and spotted him a few times dashing across route 48 in the late evening or early morning hours. Now we know where he goes as we can spot his tracks in the snow from his nightly hunting forays. I hope he manages to find and make a meal of some of the sleeping voles that were eating my bulbs and perennial flower roots last spring! Gardeners quickly lose any sentimental feelings over pesky rodents, and anyway, I’m a big admirer of handsome Mister Fox.

Large amounts of snow can be a burden in an urban setting; and not pretty as soon as it turns from pristine white to a dirty gray color, then black, in a very short time. Piled high on every corner, it makes getting around a chore in the city as I remember well from when I worked in Manhattan. But on the sparsely populated North Fork the snow remains white and pristine on all but the busiest main roads and its beauty a pleasure. Driving the back roads, visiting the creeks and vineyards or hiking the nature preserves and beaches, the stunning views just take your breath away.

If you want to regain that feeling of childhood, when a snow storm was a magical event that transformed the landscape and made everything beautiful, take a little break and come stay with us for a couple of days. We are only just over two hours from Manhattan and a less than fifteen minutes from the Orient Point Ferry. Visit the ‘Area Attractions’ page of our website to see our map and lists of things to do and see while you are here. Bring your Valentine , any time through the end of March, and be treated to a complimentary champagne picnic or wine class included in the cost of a two night stay. Visit our website and click on the ‘check availability BnB rooms’ for rates and calendar.

News updates from Shorecrest

Each winter I choose a couple of projects to improve the comforts and amenities of the BnB for my guests. This year I tackled extending the central heating and cooling system that serves the rest of the house to the west porch and improving the insulation of the storm windows. The result has been that guests have been able to sit out there, play chess, scrabble or just read on even cold days this winter. It is also now usable for far more days of the year for in house massage, and is large enough for either a single person or couple to receive their treatment. There is nothing so relaxing as a semi outdoor massage with natural daylight and a view of the gardens and water of the inlet beyond.

Summer is coming and isn’t it time to think about a vacation for you and yours? If you are limited for time, traveling far by plane can cut so much time from your much needed holiday and so exhausting, you need another vacation to recover when you get back! Isn’t it fortunate then that there is so much to do on the North Fork for all ages and it is amazing that such an idyllic place could be just a short journey from large Metropolitan areas as Manhattan by road, train or bus and Boston and Connecticut via the Cross Sound Ferries from New London or Bridgeport. We are also only 45 minutes from Long Island’s McArthur airport and two hours from JFK or La Guardia for those coming from further away and who need to fly. Great for families with children and even pets, Shorecrest Property Management has four waterfront houses still with availability for rent this coming summer. Please visit our Property Management website for photos and details and links to our reservation calendar for house prices and availability.

I look forward to welcoming you to Shorecrest and the North Fork soon!

The path to the Shorecrest inlet beach: a winter wonderland in a blanket of new snow

Meeting house in Aquebogue freezes over

Some seagulls get ringside seats for a view of the skaters on the creek

The Greenport Maritime Festival is a three day affair and a favorite destination for guests of Shorecrest Bed and Breakfast. Starting with the ‘Land and Sea’ Cocktail Reception on Friday evening, September 24th and continuing throughout Saturday and Sunday September 25th and 26th with a street fair each day and events that include a kayak derby, whale boat race, a Clam Chowder contest and music provided by several bands, there is entertainment to suit everyone.

Each year the festival draws about 20,000 people and the crowd enjoys a variety of family activities in Mitchell Park, the home of the beautiful and fun Greenport Carousel, such as ‘Captain Kidd s Alley’, old fashioned childrens games, a snapper fishing contest, traditional art and craft demonstrations and appearances in unexpected places throughout the weekend by the fearsome ‘Greenport Pirates!

There is lots for grown ups to do too. On Saturday night there is dancing in Mitchell Park to the music of the band Melange and throughout the village many local merchants, galleries and food vendors will be open late for you to enjoy on your evening stroll.

Prestons Dock and many village stores and galleries will be open late during the festival

For a complete list of events please see the event calendar posted below. If you would like tickets to the opening cocktail party, guests of the Shorecrest can purchase them through the BnB. Here are the details regarding the reception:

Land and Sea and Reception, Friday September 17th, 2010:

Where: The Maritime Museum, Greenport

Cost at door: $30.00

Time: From 6-8pm

Various local restaurants will be providing the food including fresh oysters and clams from our bays; Rums of Puerto Rico will be serving drinks as well as local wineries.

The boat raffle is always a popular attraction at the Maritime Festival

Maritime Festival Schedule of Events

Friday September 24th

10am – 5pm – ‘Plein Air’ Artists paint in Mitchell Park

6pm – 8pm – ‘Land and Sea Reception’ at the East End Seaport Museum

Saturday September 25

All Day – Classic, ice and small boat display – Mitchell Park

10am – Sea Stories and Shanties for children aged 4-7 years with Mira Dougherty Johnson in Mitchell Park

Shorecrest is offering a special driver service for those of our guests who want to avoid the hassle of parking in the village on this weekend. A pick up or drop off from the BnB to Greenport is $10 each way. We are also offering this service for winery visits, at $20 per pick up or drop off for up to 6 people. We can also help you organize your wine tour using our winery discount card for best value!

For city dwellers that would like to come by bus or train and still want to be able to conveniently travel around the North Fork visiting different villages and wineries, this can be a great option, and for groups visiting together the price is excellent! We can also arrange for bicycle rentals for getting around on the roads and kayak rentals for paddling the creeks. Shorecrest’s own beach on the Arshamomoque inlet to the rear of the BnB is a great place to launch a kayak, canoe or paddle board.

Paddlers at Sunset - wish you were here....

Speak to the Innkeeper, or visit our website to learn more about your options for traveling while on the North Fork and all concierge services from wine tours to restaurant reservations and bike or kayak rentals.

We are here to help make your visit to the beautiful North Fork the best it could possibly be!